Wing slat equalizer



Oct. 13, 1942. .1. s. CZURLES ETAL 2,298,254.

WING SLAT EQUALIZER Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mam INVENTORS Jul/1v .r. mum; w BY FRANK my ATTORNEY OctQlB, 1942. J. 5. CZURLES a-rm.

WING SLAT EQUALIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Jan. 31, 1941 INVENTORS JOIINLC'ZI/RLEI M0 BY FKEJVY TTORNEY Q of Fig. 1;

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 "UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE WING SLAT aooatrzan John S. Czurles, Buffalo, and Frank Erny, Kenmore, N. Y., assignors to Curtis-Wright Oorporation, a. corporation of Delaware Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 376,756,

4 Claims.

vided with spaced supports constrained to joint andsimilar movement whereby the slot width will be uniform at all times throughout the slat span. With the modern trend toward cantilever wings tapered in thickness and planform, it is desirable that the leading edge slot, when formed, be tapered in correspondence with the wing and slat. for the purpose of securing best aerodynamic efficiency. Thus, it becomes desirable, to control tapered slat movement in such a manner as to form a tapered slot. This necessitates a slat control linkage of differential character, and the provision of such a control linkage is one object of this invention.

Another object of theinvention is toprovide positive interconnecting means for slat supports on a so-called slotted wing.

Another object is to provide means for attaining differential movement across the span of a slot-forming airfoil.

'Still another object is to provide means for graduating or tapering the, opening in the extending movement of an auxiliary slot-forming airfoil incorporated in the leading edge of a wing which is tapered in thickness and in planform.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent in reading the subjoined specification and claims, and from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, wherein like numeral denote like or corresponding parts, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a portion of a tapered aircraft wing, broken away to show the airfoil control mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the wing;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front sectional elevation on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan of the mechanism of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion ofthe auxiliary airfoil mounting, and

Fig. '7 is a section onthe line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fixed within the tapered main wing Ill are spanwise spaced similar front brackets, one of which is shown at H in Fig. 1, this element also being shown in pair of spaced rollers l3. Rearwardly spaced Fig. 5. These brackets carry a,

from the brackets I I and within the wing "I, are brackets l4 and I5 each carryingpairs of rollers 13. Between the several pairs of rollers I! are mounted arms l6 and It, the forward ends of which may protrude through the leading edge of the wing, these forward ends carrying atapered auxiliary airfoil II. On opposing side faces of the arms l6 and I6, short chain lengths l8 and I8 are secured as at l9 -and l9, these chain lengths comprising a simple substitute for a gear rack, which latter could be substituted therefor. Adjacent each bracket I4 and I5, sprocket supports 22 and 25 are respectively secured, these supports carrying respectively coaxial sprockets 20 and 2| and 23 and 24. The sprocket 20 engages the chain l8, while the sprocket 23 engages, the chain l8, the former sprocket being of larger diameter than the latter.v The other sprockets 2| and 24 areof the same diameter and are geared for joint rotation with one another by chains 26 and 21 coupled together by crossed cahles 28 and 29 whereby the sprockets 2| and 24 are constrained to joint uniform rotation in opposite directions. When the airfoil 11 moves away from the leading edge of the main wing l0, either automatically due to aerodynamic action,

or forcibly by suitable control means, not shown, 1 the movement of the arm 16 with its chain I 8 causes the sprockets 20 and 2| to rotate, thev sprocket 2| driving the sprocket 24 through the chain and cable connection, thus enforcing con current movement of th arm 16' through the sprocket 23 and the chain l8. Since the sprocket 23 is of lesser diameter than the sprocket 20, the arm It moves a lesser distance than the arm l6.-thereby producing a tapered slot between the 'wing l0 and the auxiliary airfoil ll, such movement being indicated by the broken lines ,H' in Fig. 1.

While we have describedour invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it, will be obvious to. those skilled in the art, after understanding our invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. We aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

We claim as our invention:

1; In anaircraft control mechanism, an auxiliary airfoil fixed on spaced support arms, said arms being mounted on guideways and in parallel relation for chordwise movement, and means for moving one arm a greater distance than the other, comprising interconnected differential means constituting integral pairs of rotating members, one member of each pair being oi different diameter than the other member and being positively engaged with one support arm, the second members of the pairs of integral circular members being or the same diameter and being coupled for joint rotation by flexible means passing around the peripheries of both.

2. In a tapered aircraft wing, chordwise movable and spanwise spaced arms protruding therefrom, an auxiliary airfoil secured to the protruding arm ends, rackmeans secured to the facing sides of said arms, gear means drivably en' gaged with'each 01 said arm rack means, and means interconnecting said gear means to' enforce simultaneous similar rotation thereof, the gear means for an arm at a larger wing section having a larger drive ratio than the gear means or an arm at a smaller wing section, whereby the slot width between the wing and auxiliary airtoil is adJustable and decreases in the direction of the smaller wing sections.

3. In a slat control mechanism in a tapered aircraft wing, a pair of chordwise movable and spanwise spaced parallel arms carrying said slat, a large wheel drivably engaging the arm at the larger wing section, a small wheel drivably engaging the other arm, flexible means interconnecting said wheels to simultaneously enforce similar rotationoi' said wheels whereby the slot widthbetween the wing and slat is adJustable and decreases in the direction of the smaller wing sections. I I

4. Inc. slat control mechanism in a tapered aircraft wing, a pair of chordwise movable and spanwise spaced parallel arms carrying said slat, a wheel drivably engaging each arm, flexible means to drivably interconnect said wheels for joint rotation at diiierent peripheral speeds such that the arm at th larger wing section has a larger range oi movement than the arm at the smaller wing section whereby the slot width between the wing and slat is adjustable and decreases in the direction of the smaller wing sections.

' FRANK ERNY.

JOHN S. CZURLES. 

